Autumn's colors are on their way, and they should be great this year.

One of Mother Nature's best shows is right around the corner. All over the state, Virginians will enjoy the reds, golds, and oranges of a crisp Mid-Atlantic fall. As the days grow shorter and cooler, leaf-peeping is a family-friendly activity we can all look forward to.

According to a report from Virginia Tech:

“Trees are in good shape health-wise due to good moisture levels in the soil which is needed for the production of the red pigments in leaves. While cold weather spells might move the dates up a few days to a week, leaf watchers should expect to see peak displays anywhere around October 24-31 in the New River Valley.” — John Seiler, tree physiology expert at Virginia Tech

Whether you plan a special day trip or just enjoy seeing the leaves turn at your local park, you'll see the best colors toward the end of the month—after October 24, to be exact. You can keep track of the changing leaves by checking the weekly foliage report from the Virginia Department of Forestry. Don't snooze on this, though: everything will be crispy and brown by November.

Photo by Jeremy Thomas

If you prefer to see firsthand how the leaves are doing, the National Park Service has a webcam pointing right at the mountains of Skyline Drive. It's the easiest way to see exactly how the view will be before you even get in the car. Don't forget about Twitter and Instagram!

Skyline Drive & the Blue Ridge Parkway#Virginia🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/t3X1USpig4

— 𝓖𝓵𝓪 🌻 (@alwayshappy1513) October 11, 2020

For more information about Virginia's fall foliage forecast for 2020, check out the original Virginia Tech article about this fall's projection.

Will you be planning a leaf-peeping trip this year? Where do you like to go to see the best views? Let us know in the comments!